Collections Specialist

The Collections Specialist oversees the full collections lifecycle for business-to-business accounts, ensuring timely payments, accurate account maintenance, and strong customer relationships. This role manages accounts receivable inquiries, conducts proactive outreach to resolve outstanding balances, and collaborates closely with internal teams to reduce financial risk. The ideal candidate combines strong collections experience, excellent communication skills, and advanced Excel proficiency to support efficient financial operations. Responsibilities Manage the Accounts Receivable (AR) team inbox and respond promptly to inquiries with thorough research and appropriate follow-up. Monitor and respond to messages in your personal inbox related to accounts receivable activities. Send professional and courteous payment reminders to customers to encourage timely payment. Engage with customers to establish, negotiate, and document payment arrangements and payment plans. Handle incoming calls through the AR phone system and provide clear, solution-focused assistance. Conduct proactive outreach via phone and email to support collection efforts and reduce past-due balances. Supervise pooled collections modules to ensure timely and consistent follow-up on outstanding accounts. Regularly review aging reports to maintain credit and aging thresholds within acceptable limits. Identify patterns or issues in affiliate payment collections and escalate them when appropriate. Collaborate with customers to ensure accurate and timely payment application to their accounts. Maintain and update customer account information to ensure data accuracy and completeness. Complete vendor onboarding documentation as needed to support new account setup and compliance. Investigate and resolve invoice discrepancies by coordinating with internal teams such as finance and operations. Support the cash application process by researching and resolving unapplied payments. Initiate and process customer refunds in accordance with established procedures. Evaluate and adjust credit limits to manage affiliate exposure and overall credit risk. Monitor and manage account aging to mitigate financial risk and support healthy cash flow. Coordinate disaffiliation processes across Operations and Finance to meet required deadlines. Apply credits and vouchers to outstanding invoices where appropriate to reduce open balances. Generate and distribute customer account statements on a regular basis. Escalate bankruptcy or legal concerns to the Legal team or appropriate leadership for review and action. Compile and submit documentation to Legal for affiliate and customer demand letters. Foster strong customer relationships to reduce financial exposure and support ongoing business. Review late fee waiver requests and escalate them when necessary for further approval. Identify affiliates with outstanding balances and initiate outreach to discuss resolution options. Negotiate repayment terms while maintaining positive affiliate relationships and high service standards. Initiate commission deductions where applicable to recover outstanding balances. Process credit card payments for captive account balances accurately and securely. Apply available credits and vouchers to reduce open balances on captive accounts. Perform data entry and reconciliation activities related to collections, invoicing, and account maintenance. Prepare and review monthly statements and aging reports to track performance and prioritize collection efforts. Essential Skills At least three years of previous Accounts Receivable and Collections experience in a B2B environment. Proven experience with outbound collections and collection calls in a professional setting. Experience in accounts receivable, account management, and financial operations. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including Pivot Tables, VLOOKUPs, and formulas. Experience with NetSuite or a similar ERP system for managing financial and customer data. Ability to read, interpret, and reconcile aging reports and monthly statements. Demonstrated experience with customer invoicing, billing, and payment processing. Skill in setting up and managing payment plans and negotiated repayment terms. Accuracy and speed in data entry and reconciliation of accounts and payments. Strong customer service skills in a collections or accounts receivable context. Ability to research unapplied payments and support the cash application process. Experience handling credit card payments and applying credits and vouchers to accounts. Excellent verbal and written communication skills for phone, email, and documentation. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail when managing multiple accounts and deadlines. Additional Skills & Qualifications Associate degree preferred in accounting, finance, business, or a related field. Experience working with captive accounts or affiliate account structures. Familiarity with vendor onboarding processes and related documentation. Ability to evaluate and adjust credit limits to manage risk exposure. Experience coordinating with Legal, Operations, and Finance teams on account and collections matters. Comfort with handling sensitive financial situations, including late fee waivers and potential legal escalations. Strong negotiation skills that balance firm collection practices with maintaining positive customer and affiliate relationships. Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a collections or accounts receivable team. Sales or customer-facing experience that supports effective relationship management in a B2B environment. Work Environment This is a full-time role with a Monday through Friday schedule, typically between 7:30/8:00 a.m. and 4:30/5:00 p.m., with some flexibility in start and end times. The position follows an on-site training period, after which it transitions to a hybrid schedule with three days in the office and two days remote each week. You will work in a professional office environment using tools such as Microsoft Excel, NetSuite or a similar ERP system, and standard office communication and phone systems. The role involves frequent phone and email communication with customers, affiliates, and internal teams, and requires comfort working with financial data, reports, and account management systems in a structured, deadline-driven setting. Job Type & Location This is a Permanent position based out of Appleton, WI. Pay and Benefits The pay range for this position is $47000.00 - $55000.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. Full benefits package Weekly Pay FTO/Holiday/Hybrid policy: - New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Birthday Workplace Type This is a hybrid position in Appleton,WI. Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Sep 30, 2026. About Aston Carter Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email astoncarteraccommodation@astoncarter.com for other accommodation options. San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.